He said there was “jumpiness” over the visit of outsiders to a community in Alice Springs, before the tension turned into a friendly reception as locals recognised the TV doctor.

He said: “The weirdest one is years ago when I was filming a thing about dogs.

“We were miles out of Alice Springs in Australia to meet with some indigenous Australians. There were a lot of intermediaries who were spokespeople for the indigenous people because we were entering a community.

“There was a lot of jumpiness and nerves and money changed hands here, there and everywhere, and they were late coming, and they were nervously keeping us in a room.